Stage 7 - February 26: Redondo Beach Circuit Race, 123.1km

Pollack does the back-to-back - Landis King of Cali

Both Juan Jose Haedo (Toyota-United) and George Hincapie (Discovery Channel)
have won two stages of the Tour of California, but only Olaf Pollack managed
to win back-to-back stages as he threw his bike across the line to beat Haedo
in the final circuit race around Redondo Beach. "It was a nice feeling to win
here in L.A. - so many people!" Pollack told Cyclingnews after the race.
"What can I say, second one! [My team] made a big effort today. It was unbelievable."

Phonak's Floyd Landis cruised around Redondo Beach to become the first winner
of the Tour of California - sitting at the front of the field with his team-mates
in control, spent from four days defending the leader's jersey. "Our guys are
pretty tired with the amount of work they have done, so we didn't have any plans
for a stage win," Landis said. "We rode on the front because it is easier and
safer - there was no plan for a lead-out. I had a strong team, but the field
didn't make it easy on me. The days following the time trial were more difficult.
I think that after a few days the peloton realized our team was stronger than
they expected."

The first and only break of the day went at just three kilometers into the
race when Glen Chadwick (Navigator's Insurance) attacked. "Ed Beamon said to
be pretty aggressive today - if no one is making the moves, make them yourself!"
Chadwick said. "Three kilometers into it I thought I would have a go. Then there
was a big crash and our GC rider Phil Zajicek crashed and was out, so it was
all or nothing then."

Along with Zajicek, that crash involved the most aggressive rider from yesterday
Sebastian Lang (Gerolsteiner) and the best young rider Tom Peterson (TIAA-CREF).
Lang abandoned at that point, but Peterson needed to finish the stage in order
to keep his jersey and claim the $5,000 prize. Bravely, Peterson rolled along
and received treatment from the medical staff and did finish. But the crash
did aid the break by slowing the field. Riding away with Chadwick was Aaron
Olson (Saunier Duval-Prodir), Davide Frattini (Colavita) and Scott Zwizanski
(Kodakgallery.com-Sierra Nevada). The quartet built a lead to nearly eight minutes,
which made Chadwick the leader on the road for a lap, before Phonak, Davitamon-Lotto
and T-Mobile pushed the pace.

With less than three laps to go, the break was down to just three minutes when
bad luck struck Olson. A rear puncture brought the American to the side with
the break continuing on without him. But a quick change from Mavic and some
smart drafting from the team cars put Olson back into the break without much
of a loss.

However, after that, Davitamon-Lotto and T-Mobile began to smell a field sprint.
"Lotto and my team worked the most today," said Pollack. And on the last lap
the field reeled in the break on the small climb up one end of the course. "It
was not so flat. On the map it was flat, but the little climb from lap to lap
got harder and harder," Pollack commented. "It was hard, but every time over
the climb I went a little bit harder to stay near the front," Juan Jose Haedo
said. "I went easy early so that in the end I could make it back and was feeling
better in the end."

From there the teams with strong sprinters took over, driving the pace to the
finish. The final stretch of road was wide and fast, measuring nearly 1,000
meters. "In the last corner I was like twentieth," said Haedo. "It was a like
a lottery at that point - really, really fast and hard to get into position.
I got in near the T-Mobile train with a few hundred meters to go. I went a little
too early, so I rested up a little bit, and then I went again. It was a little
bit short, but I am happy."

Pollack had the help of team-mate André Greipel who was able to hang on for
third, behind Haedo. Pollack also noted a difference between sprinting in this
field to fields in Europe. "It was not the same as in Europe when everybody
has a sprinter and everybody goes in front and works." Pollack's win vaulted
him in front of Hincapie in the sprint competition, giving him the final green
jersey.

Even with second today, Juan Jose Haedo was the biggest winner for the domestic
teams, and is thinking big things for the future. "I think Europe and the three
big tours... but for now I am in a friendly team with Toyota-United - great
riders and staff. Right now I am focused on that but looking forward anything
can happen." His team's director, Frankie Andreu, is very happy with his team's
performance this week and the race itself. "More so than getting the [first]
win of the season was getting a win here, that was a priority. J.J. was incredibly
fast and it allowed us to bring a lot of exposure to our team immediately. Everyone
is super happy, and the race itself was phenomenal. I don't think there has
ever been a race like this in America."

As for the other domestic teams, Bobby Julich (CSC) was less than impressed
beyond Haedo and Toyota-United, and offered a challenge to those teams. "The
Toyota team definitely brought their A-game and won two stages. Everyone else
is licking their wounds, maybe waiting for Georgia or Philadelphia. But if you
have the chance to race against eight ProTour teams and your goal is to be a
European pro, you have to bring your A-game, and we didn't see so many guys
that jumped out of the woodwork that said, 'Hey, take me to Europe, I'm ready.'
I think J.J. Haedo is one of the guys that stood out - but the other guys,
if they are looking for individual results and recognition... we have another
month and a half until Tour de Georgia, so bring it there."

But team-mate David Zabriskie did give credit to one other domestic team. "I
think the TIAA-CREF team did it... there was one moment where they didn't make
the break and acted very professional and chased it down - like they should
because they missed it. I think they are coming along and trying to learn."

One thing was constant this week - thumbs up for the Tour of California, from
riders to directors to fans. "When I switched teams to CSC it was a revelation
to what a team should be like," said Julich. "And when I came here to the Tour
of California I said wow, this is what a race should be like. I am so glad I
didn't retire in 2003 and was able to experience these two things."

And for the first time this week, a certain name was finally invoked. "I don't
know if this race would have been possible a few years ago - Lance brought
a lot of fans to cycling and we are doing our best to keep them by putting on
good bike races," said race winner Floyd Landis. "Hopefully we can keep them
around."

As for making this race bigger and harder for the future, race owner AEG's
Tim Leiweke said that his company's goal is to make this race the biggest in
the world. "Tour de France - 20 million people. Until we do that we are not
successful." But Landis made an interesting point about making the race harder.
"I'm afraid if you made it too hard it would discourage riders who are focusing
on the Tour from showing up. This is comparable to the other races in the spring,
the shorter stage races."

But Dave Zabriskie certainly enjoyed his time riding in the sunny state of
California this week, and is not looking forward to racing Paris-Nice next week.
"I would like to extend the race for another twelve weeks! We are going to take
a lot of warm clothes and wish that this race was still happening."